soccer

Sports World Mourns Death of Soccer Journalist Grant Wahl

Wahl died in Qatar on Friday while covering the FIFA World Cup

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

The sports world suffered a tragic loss on Friday.

Grant Wahl, one of the most well-known and well-regarded soccer journalists in the United States, died in Qatar while covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was 49 years old.

Multiple news outlets reported that Wahl collapsed in the media tribune of Lusail Iconic Stadium during Friday's Netherlands-Argentina match and was tended to by paramedics.

A cause of death has not been revealed.

Wahl worked for CBS Sports and wrote for the GrantWahl.com Substack. His previous stops included Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports.

Wahl's 2009 nonfiction book "The Beckham Experiment" about David Beckham's move to Major League Soccer became a New York Times Bestseller. It was the first New York Times Bestseller with soccer as the topic.

Earlier this week, Wahl was among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the international sports press association AIPS in Qatar for covering at least eight men's World Cups. This was Wahl's eighth World Cup.

Wahl covered other sports beyond soccer over his career, including college basketball and the Olympic Games. He authored Sports Illustrated's iconic "The Chosen One" cover story about LeBron James when the NBA superstar was a junior in high school.

From athletes like James and Carli Lloyd to fellow journalists and many others, people from around the sports world mourned the loss of Wahl.

Contact Us